Reclosable containers



p 6, 1966 w. H. RASMUSSEN 3,270,947

RECLOSABLE CONTAINERS Filed March 2, 1965 INVENT OR WAL TER b.fiAs/wussz/v Qowhag ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Fatented Sept.6, 1966 3,270,947 RECLOSABLE CONTAINERS Walter H. Rasmussen, St. Paul,Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, Ramsey County, Minn.,a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 436,576 6Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to an improvement inreclosable containers and deals particularly with a container structurewhich may be easily opened and which may be reclosed after a portion ofthe contents have been removed.

In U.S. Patent No. 3,141,598, issued July 21, 1964, to W. H. Rasmussenet -al., an easy opening container is disclosed. This container includesa pair of tear strips extending across the flaps connected to therelatively long side walls of a regular style container. By removingthese tear strips, the container could be readily opened so that thecontents could be removed. The present construction is somewhat similarto the construction shown in this previous patent. However, in thepresent structure, the container is reclosable so that the top closurecan be reclosed after a portion of the contents have 'been removed.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of acontainer including a pair of closing flaps which are hinged to therelatively long side walls of a regular style container, and which areprovided with tuck flaps which are foldable downwardly toward the bottomof the .container in face contact. The container also includes flapswhich are hinged to the shorter end walls of the container and which arefolded to overlie the side wall closure flaps. These end wall closureflaps are provided with removable tear strips extending thereacross. Byremoving the tear strips, the container may be easily opened, as the endwall closure flaps are slit centrally from the tear strip to the end ofeach fiap. The end Wall closure flaps are also provided with apertureswhich extend from the tear strips to the hinge lines connecting the endwall closure flaps to the end walls. After the container has beenopened, these apertures provide slots into which the ends of the tuckflaps may be inserted in the reclosing of the container.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of thecontainer including side and end walls, the side walls being wider thanthe end walls, and in closing the container with the end wall closurefiaps overlying the wider side wall closure flaps. After the containerhas been opened by removing the removable tear strips, the container maybe reclosed by folding the portions of the end wall closure flaps whichremain hinged to the end walls downwardly, and folding the side wallclosure flaps thereover, the remaining portions of the end wall closureflaps thus limiting the inward swinging of the side wall closure flaps.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIGURE 1 inpartially opened position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the containershown in FIGURES 1 and 2 in opened position.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the container in reclosed condition.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the reclosedcontainer, the position of the section being indicated 'by the line 55of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the container isformed.

The container A is formed from the blank illustrated in FIGURE 6 of thedrawings. As shown, the container includes a side wall 10, an end wall11, a second side wall 12, and a second end wall 13, connected alongparallel fold lines 14, 15, and 16. The container may be stitched,glued, or taped in closed position. In the particular constructionillustrated, the end wall 13 is hingedly connected along a fold line 17to a stitch or glue flap 19 which is designed to overlie the side wall10 and to be stitched or glued thereto.

The side and end walls are connected along their lower edges by a foldline 20 to bottom closure flaps. A closure flap 21 is hinged to the sidewall 10, a closure flap 22 is hinged to the end wall 11, a closure flap23 is hinged to the side wall 12, and a closure flap 24 is hinged to theend wall 13. The closure flaps 22, 24 are, in the form shown, aboutone-half the width of the side walls 10 and 12, and are centrallyslotted throughout their length as indicated at 25 and 26, respectively.The side wall closure flaps 21, 23 are of a length substantially equalto one-half the width of the end walls 11 and 13, and these side wallclosure flaps are connected along lined fold lines 27 and 23 to tuck orpartition flaps 30 and 31, respectively.

The various wall panels of the container are also connected along theirupper edges by a fold line 32 to top closure flaps. The side wall 10 isconnected to a closure flap 33, the end wall 11 is connected to aclosure flap 34, the side wall 12 is connected to a closure flap 35, andthe end wall 13 is connected to a closure flap 36. In the particulararrangement illustrated, the end wall closure flaps 34 and 36 connectedto the upper edges of the end walls are of a length substantially equalto onehalf the width of the side walls 10 and 12 so that these flapsextend in an end abutting relation in closed position of the container.Obviously, however, this is a matter of choice.

The end walls 34 and 36, as well as the side wall flaps 33 and 35 areprovided with removable tear strips. The removable areas of the sidewall closure flaps are not of importance as they are not employed in theopening of the container. The only reason why they are present is thatthe tear strips are preferably formed by slitting the inner liner of thecorrugated paperboard before it is adhered to the corrugated medium andit is more con venient t0 slit this liner substantially continuouslythan to provide it in selected areas. If other types of tear strips areprovided, such as those defined by perforated lines, the tear stripswill be located in the end flaps 33 and 35 only.

The tear strips 37 and 39 in the end wall closure flaps 34- and 36 areformed in the manner illustrated in Patent No. 2,706,076 issued April12, 1955, to Reynolds Guyer. The tear strips are defined by parallelslits 4t) and 41 in the inner liner of the corrugated paperboard formingthe container A. Short cut lines 42 at one end of each tear strip 39converge toward the cut lines 4t) and 41 to simplify the operation ofgrasping the end of the tear strip for removing the same. The end wallflaps 34 and 36 are provided with central rectangular apertures 43 and44 which extend from the slits 41 defining one side of each tear strip37 and 39 to the fold line 32 connecting the end flaps to the end walls.The closure flaps 34 and 36 are also provided with slits 45 and 46 whichextend from the slit 40 defining the opposite side of the tear strip tothe end of the closure flap, the slits being located centrally betweenthe side edges of the closure flaps. The purpose of this arrangementwill be later more clearly described.

The side wall closure flaps 33 and 35 are of a length substantiallyequal to one-half the width of the end walls 10 and 12,and are hingedlyconnected along aligned fold lines 47 and 49 to tuck or partition flaps50 and 51, respectively. In the particular construction illustrated, thefold line 49 is interrupted by a pair of generally semicircular cutlines 52 which terminate at the fold line 49 and extend into the tuckflap 51. The cut lines 52 defines tabs 53 which may overlap the sidewall closure flap 33 in closed position of the container as is indicatedin F IG- URES 4 and 5 of the drawings.

As will be noted from FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the container whenclosed includes side by side tuck or partition flaps extending inwardlytoward the center of the container from both the top and bottomclosures. Containers of this type may be employed for containing cans ofa product, and the tuck flaps form central partitions between the sidewalls which tend to separate the cans and hold them spaced. The tuckflaps also add considerable strength and rigidity to the finishedcontainer.

The container is closed at the manufacturers joint by gluing orstitching the flap 19 in overlapping relation to the side wall panel 10.In setting up the container, the bottom closure flaps 22 and 24 arefolded inwardly into a common plane, and the side wall closure flaps 21and 23 are folded to lie beneath the closure flaps 22 and 24. During theclosing operation, the tuck flaps 30 and 31 are tucked through the slots25 and 26. The closure flaps are normal-1y glued in face contact. Afterthe container has been filled, the top is closed by first folding theside wall closure flaps 33 and 35 downwardly into a common plane, thetuck flaps 50 and 51 being folded in face contact to provide a centerpartition in opposed relation to that formed by the flaps 30 and 31.When folded down, the tabs 53 on the closure flap 35 overlie the end ofthe closure flap 33. The closure flaps 34 and 36 are next folded tooverlie the flaps 33 and 35, and adhesive is applied between thesurfaces which are in face contact. Preferably, only the end portions ofthe closure flaps 34 and 36 which are between the tear strips 37 and 39and the ends of these closure flaps are adhered.

When it is desired to open the containers, the tear strips 37 and 39 aregrasped and removed. This operation is indicated in FIGURE 2 of thedrawings where one of the tear strips has been removed and the other ispartially removed. After-the tear strips 37 and 39 have been removed,the topof the container is free to open, as the areas of the end wallclosure flaps 34, 36 which remain attached to the end Walls 11 and 13are free of adhesive engagement with the side wall closure flaps 33 and35. The container may then be opened.

When it is desired to reclose the container, the portions of the endwall closure flaps which remain attached to the end walls are foldeddown into a common plane as indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Thetuck flaps 50, 51 on the side wall closure flaps 33 and 35 may then befolded into closed position and into face contact extending through theslots formed by the apertures 43 and 44. When reclosed, the containerappears as indicated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. It will be noted thatthe end portions of the end wall closure fiaps overlie areas of the sidewall closure flaps 33 and 35 while the portions of the end wall closureflaps which remain hinged to the end walls underlie the side wallclosure flaps 33 and 35.

The end wall closure fiaps 34 and 36 are described as including slits 46extending from the tear strips 37, 39 to the ends of these flaps. Insome instances, the use of slits unduly weakens these flaps and makesthem hard to fold properly on automatic equipment. Accordingly, theslits may terminate just short of the ends of the flaps to provideconnected end edges which may be easily fractured. Alternatively, themembers 46 may comprise perforated lines or similar easily fracturablelines of separation. Thus the members 46 might be more accuratelydescribed as lines of separation.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my reclosable container; and while Ihave endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire tohave it understood that obvious changesmay be made within the scope ofthe following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1. A reclosable container including, a rectangular tubular bodyhaving parallel end walls and parallel side walls connected in tubularrelation,

closure flaps hingedly connected to said side and end walls, the closureflaps on said side walls extending substantially in edge abuttingrelation when folded into a common plane,

tuck flaps hinged to the ends of said side wall closure flaps andextendable into said container at substantially right angular relationto said side wall closure flaps and in face contact when said side wallclosure flaps are folded into a common plane,

said end wall closure flaps being foldable outwardly of said side wallclosure flaps, said end wall closure flaps including removable tearstrips defined by spaced parallel weakened lines of separation extendingsubstantially parallel to the lines of fold connecting said end wallclosure flaps to said end walls and dividing each said end wall closureflaps into an end portion between said tear strip and the end of saidend wall closure flaps and a hinged portion between said tear strip andthe lines of fold connecting said end wall closure flaps to said endwalls. said portions including lines of separation extending from saidtear strip to the end of said end wall closure flaps, said slits beingadapted to substantially register with the end edges of said side wallclosure flaps in closed condition of said container, and

said end wall closure flaps having apertures therein extendingsubstantially across said hinged portions thereof in alignment with saidlines of separation in said end portions and of a width to receive saidtuck flaps,

whereby after said containers are closed and said end portions of saidend wall closure flaps are adhered in face contact with the portions ofsaid side wall closure flaps which they overlie, said tear strips may beremoved to open said container, and said hinged portions of said endwall closure flaps may be folded beneath said side wall closure flaps toreceive said tuck flaps in said apertures.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said side wall closure flapsare of equal length.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said end wall closure flaps areof a length equal to about one-half the width of said side walls.

4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said lines of separationextending across said end portions of said end wall closure flapscomprise slits.

5. A reclosable container including,

side walls and end walls connected in rectangular tubular relation,

closure flaps hingedly connected to an edge of said side and end walls,

the side wall closure flaps extending substantially in end abuttingrelation and including tuck flaps folded between said side walls andparallel thereto in face contact,

said end wall closure flaps including removable tear strips thereindefined by parallel side-by-side weakened lines of separation extendingparallel to the lines of fold connecting said end Wall closure flaps tosaid end walls,

said tear strips dividing each said end wall closure flaps into an endportion extending between said tear strip and the end of the flap, and ahinged portion 6X:-

tending from said tear strip to the line of fold connecting said endwall closure flap to its end wall,

means securing said end portions to the areas of said side wall closureflaps which they overlie, the remainder of said end Wall closure flapbeing substantially free of attachment to said side Wall closure flaps,

said end portions including lines of separation substantially inregistry with the abutting ends of said side wall closure flaps andextending from said tear strips to the ends thereof, and

said hinged portions including apertures therein extending from saidtear strips toward the lines of fold connecting said end wall closureflaps to said end walls and of a width to accommodate the end edges ofsaid tuck flaps,

whereby when said tear strips have been removed and said containeropened, said hinged portions may be folded inwardly of said side wallclosure flaps to permit engagement of said tuck flaps through saidapertures.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which said side wall closure flapsare of substantially equal width.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,851 11/1934Crawford 22951 2,149,955 3/1939 Burns 229-44 X 2,287,520 6/ 1942Freshwater 22951 3,141,598 7/1964 Rasmussen et a1. 22951 3,144,1958/1964 Hennessey.

3,163,347 12/1964 BiXler 22939 3,226,007 12/1965 Thies et a1. 229-39OTHER REFERENCES 449,968 7/1936 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

20 D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A RECLOSABLE CONTAINER INCLUDING, A RECTANGULAR TUBULAR BODY HAVINGPARALLEL END WALLS AND PARALLEL SIDE WALLS CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE ANDEND CLOSURE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE AND END WALLS, THECLOSURE FLAPS ON SAID SIDE WALLS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY IN EDGEABUTTING RELATION WHEN FOLDED INTO A COMMON PLANE, TUCK FLAPS HINGED TOTHE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AND EXTENDABLE INTO SAIDCONTAINER AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGULAR RELATION TO SAID SIDE WALLCLOSURE FLAPS AND IN FACE CONTACT WHEN SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AREFOLDED INTO A COMMON PLANE, SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS BEING FOLDABLEOUTWARDLY OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS, SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPSINCLUDING REMOVABLE TEAR STRIPS DEFINED BY SPACED PARALLEL WEAKENEDLINES OF SEPARATION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LINES OFFOLD CONNECTING SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO SAID END WALLS ANDDIVIDING EACH SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS INTO AN END PORTION BETWEENSAID TEAR STRIP AND THE END OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AND A HINGEDPORTION BETWEEN SAID TEAR STRIP AND THE LINES OF FOLD CONNECTING SAIDEND WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO SAID END WALLS. SAID PORTIONS INCLUDING LINESOF SEPARATION EXTENDING FROM SAID TEAR STRIP TO THE END OF SAID END WALLCLOSURE FLAPS, SAID SLITS BEING ADAPTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY REGISTER WITHTHE END EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS IN CLOSED CONDITION OFSAID CONTAINER, AND SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS HAVING APERTURES THEREINEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS SADI HINGED PORTIONS THEREOF IN ALIGNMENTWITH SAID LINES OF SEPARATION IN SAID END PORTIONS AND OF A WIDTH TORECEIVE SAID TUCK FLAPS, WHEREBY AFTER SAID CONTAINERS ARE CLOSED ANDSAID END PORTIONS OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS ARE ADHERED IN FACECONTACT WITH THE PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS WHICH THEYOVERLIE, SAID TEAR STRIPS MAY BE REMOVED TO OPEN SAID CONTAINER, ANDSAID HINGED PORTIONS OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS MAY BE FOLDEDBENEATH SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO RECEIVE SAID TUCK FLAPS IN SAIDAPERTURES.